KISD trustee attends program
Special to The Monitor
AUSTIN–Jim Collinsworth of Kemp ISD was among a group of school board members gathering in Corpus Christi Feb. 24 - 26 to learn the latest on 21st century challenges to leadership and the implications of those trends for educators. Session theme for the third of five training sessions for Leadership TASB (LTASB), was “Where leadership happens through becoming an advocate for all.”
Trustees began activities by continuing their book study of Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization by Dr. Yong Zhao.
They also toured campuses at Santa Gertrudis ISD, a district uniquely designed for children of families working and living on King Ranch.
Keynote speakers were professional actors from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Bill Barker as Thomas Jefferson and Richard Schumann as Patrick Henry.
In period costume and character, the two patriots debated the role of education as our founding fathers envisioned it – the cornerstone for community prosperity and democracy’s survival.
Another LTASB session was led by Steve Barkley, executive vice-president of Performance Learning Systems in New Hope, Penn. In his presentation, Making decisions today that prepare us for tomorrow, Barkley specifically challenged board members to focus their energy and effort as leaders on the changes needed to improve student achievement.
The session concluded with tours of Aransas County ISD in Rockport, a district of 3,100 students that provides all the opportunities of a large district 10 times its size. A highlight of the visit was a tour of the district’s MAXA room, a middle school program designed by an ACISD teacher as a nontraditional approach to increase student aptitudes in computer science classes.
Activities ended with the presentation of findings by the school board members on group research on nontraditional approaches to challenges in today’s education.
Selected by TASB, the group of 30 trustees is participating in a year-long education leadership study program. The LTASB class of 2011 represents Texas school districts of all sizes, with student populations of 275 to 106,000, and reflects a range of property wealth. Participants who complete all required elements of the study will graduate next year with a unique graduation designation recognized by TASB.
Each session has a specific theme that builds on the previous session and features state and nationally recognized experts in the fields of leadership development and education. Teams also work on extended learning assignments between meetings throughout the year. Created in 1993, Leadership TASB has almost 600 graduates to date.
TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school districts.
School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve approximately 4.8 million public school students.

‘Guided autobiography’ seminar announced
Special to The Monitor
SEVEN POINTS – “Are you saved?” We hear that question a lot today in many different contexts.
In this age of computer viruses and crashes, it can mean the difference between preserving hours, days or even years of hard work or losing it all in a moment.
Losing precious memories and experiences of our lives can also happen in a heartbeat.
It is said that when an elder dies, the world loses a library.
Who among us doesn’t wish that we had an autobiography of a grandparent?
How precious would be a video of a great-grandparent telling the stories of their lives?
The Guided Autobiography Workshop is designed to help you tell the stories of your life.
The 10 weekly classes use priming questions to help you mine the vast store of memories which make up your story.
Each week members of the class will explore one of nine life themes: family, money, life work or career, health, sexual identity, death, spiritual life and values, goals and aspirations.
The priming questions for each life theme provide a focus and structure for telling your story.
Participants write two pages on each of the themes and share their stories in small groups. These memories can be moments of healing and joy for the participants, and can begin to form a lasting treasure to be handed on to the next generation.
James E. Birren, associate director of the UCLA Center on Aging, developed this program.
“In five decades of studying adult development and aging, I have found that writing about our life experiences and sharing them with others is one of the best ways we have of giving new meaning to our present lives by understanding the past more fully,” Birren stated.
Eston Williams, pastor of Aley United Methodist Church, will lead this free class at two local libraries:
• Tri-County Library from 9 a.m. to noon every Thursday, beginning April 7, and
• The Library at Cedar Creek Lake from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Monday, beginning April 4.
To register or learn more, please e-mail estonwill@aol.com  or call (903) 880-2446.

Talent Box to present ‘Charlotte’s Web’ production
Special to The Monitor
WILLS POINT – Joseph Robinette’s play, “Charlotte’s Web,” will open at the Talent Box theatre at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25.
Additional regular seating performances are 7:30 p.m Saturday, March 26 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 27.
Dinner theatre performances are set for 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 1-2.
Admission for regular seating performance is:
• $10 for Adults,
• $8 for Seniors and Students and
• $5 for children 12 and under.
• Dinner theatre admission is $17 per person.
Reservations are suggested for regular seating and required for dinner theatre.
Reservations may be made by calling (903) 873-8945 or (903) 802-2999.
Leave your name, telephone number, date of performance you wish to attend and the number in your party. Your reservation will be confirmed.
“Charlotte’s Web” is a beautiful, heart warming tale of true friendship. Because of the kindness shown him by a spider named Charlotte; Wilbur the Pig, learns the importance of being a true friend.
Cast members selected to entertain you include Aidan Watson as Fern Arable, Kevin Gibbs as John Arable, Harley Hall as Martha Arable, Zack Zumbro as Avery Arable, Kelly Ferris as Homer Zuckerman, Jenny Morris as Edith Zuckerman, Trace Hall as Lurvy, Trace Brimer as Wilbur, Sam Hall as Templeton, Emily Sutton as Charlotte, Haley Peden as the goose, Sklyer Peet as the gander and Melinda Bass as a sheep.
Other members include Laura Bass, Darby Watson, John McCann, Katie Miramontes, Hailey Reichel, Cole Watson, Max Moore, Avery Norris, Morgan Rosamond, Aubrey Price and Connie Peden.
The support staff includes Virginia Reid-Yost as stage manager, Connie Peden and Duy Nguyen as the light crew, Shelby Chambers is in charge of make-up, Judy Moss and Deborah Gibbs is in charge of costumes, James Phillips in charge of sound effects, Kathrine Goodnight-Click and Deborah Gibbs as back stage crew, Cliff Reichel as set builder and Dan Fogle as set scenery.
The theatre is located at 244 North Fourth in Wills Point. The Talent Box is a non-profit organization.

 

Come Adopt Us At The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake

We have many animals at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points in dire need of a good home. Please call or stop by the Humane Society today and rescue one of these forgotten animals. The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake is located on 10220 County Road 2403 in Seven Points. For more information, please call (903) 432-3422 after 11 a.m. We are closed on Wednesday and Sunday.

For further information visit our website at petfinder.com